If you have a vacuum, you've probably felt the grossness and frustration of having your brushroll wrapped in hair and being tasked with removing it.
The good news is, you can get this nasty job over and done with in seconds, with one surprising sewing tool reigning supreme. I've spent 250 hours testing vacuums and this tiny $4 seam ripper from Amazon will help you quickly slice through caught-up hair and have you back to cleaning your floors in no time.
Better yet, this regular maintenance task will mean your best vacuum will stay in tip-top shape for longer.
Why a seam ripper is your vacuum cleaner's best friend
The tiny blade in between the sharper protrusions slices safely through wrapped hair in seconds, helping easily return your vacuum cleaner to its former glory.
Whether you own one of the best vacuums for pet hair to clean up after your beloved animals, or you simply have long hair yourself, you'll be familiar with gross task of cutting hair out of your vacuum's brushroll. It's a task you're also likely also tackle when keeping a house clean with pets.
But instead of taking to the brushroll with a large pair of scissors and risk damaging it (yes, this easily happens), a simple sewing seam ripper is the solution.
It's precise, and the small blade can effortlessly cut through clumps of hair without reaching the vacuum's brushes and bristles that are essential for deep cleaning carpets and floors.
Not doing so can harm your vacuum by putting unnecessary strain on the roller's moving parts, which in turn can overload the vacuum motor. This can cause your vacuum to lose suction power and eventually result in it breaking down sooner than it should.
With your own seam ripper set, you won't have to worry again.
The Ortarco Seam Ripper Set is available for $3.99 at Amazon.
More to shop
Aside from cutting out hair that's gotten tangled up in your vacuum's brushroll, a few other simple maintenance tasks will keep your appliance running at its best and make your life easier when cleaning.
All prices were correct at time of publication.
A drain snake is a quick and easy way to clear blockages from your vacuum's hose, wand, or internal parts. This one can twist to collect hair to pull it out more effectively.
You can give the exterior of your vacuum a quick refresh with a disinfecting wipe, and this pack of 225 will last.
Keep your cordless vacuum and all its attachments neatly stored in one place with this vacuum stand, a renter-friendly solution that requires no drilling.
To put less strain on your vacuum during your weekly cleans, having a handheld vacuum nearby is a savior for picking up crumbs, pet hair and dust before letting it build up. Read more in our full Black+Decker dustbuster furbuster review.
To completely avoid hair wrapping altogether, Dyson's cordless vacuums have the Motorbar floorhead, and after using it myself for over a year, it has never once wrapped with hair. The V12 Detect Slim is one of the best Dyson vacuums available, and is on offer right now with $250 off.
Next, learn more about the best robot vacuums we've tested to take cleaning chores off your hands.
